Folding or collapsible supporting stand



Jan. 30, 1923.

T. PEACOCK. FOLDING 0R COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORTING STAND.

FILED- MAY 27.1922- 4 v 2 SHEETS-SHEET l:

FigS.

I eacac/z.

Jan. 30, 1923.

T. PEACOCK. FOLDING 0R COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORTING STAND.

FILED MAY 21. (922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVIV UR Z a cock.

Patented Jan. 3%, i923.

' aomme es QQLIeer I E silee as ee se i To all 11:12pm z'tmdy concern Belit known that I, THOMAS Pmooon, a

' subjeet of the King of Great Britain, residefeld ee' r po a iust b y pp f carrying'table or the like for the eamera or other object, and I provide braelng members between said carrying table and the legs of the tripod, the bracing members being so eonnectedtogthe tripod legs as to be capable of adjustment thereonor therein. The stand take the form of two fold? ing tripods one supported upon the other so that the legs of the oneare capable of slidingon the legs of the other, rneans being provided for temporarily securing the engagedllegs in the adjusted position.

"ifl'n this particular form, the carrier or tableffor the camera may be supported entirely by the bracing members if desired.

One form of stand constructed in aeoordance with the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings in w i Figure l is a front eleyation of the .com-

,plete stand in the open position. i Figure 2 is anbnlarged sectional plan View, partly broken away the section being taken onthelline of Figure '1.

Figure Bis a sectional elevation. (partly broken away) corres ondingto Figure 1, the section being taken on the line BB of Figure2. .Figure t is an elev ation oi the stand in the closed position, fitted withend caps, to

form a somewhat enlarged form of walking stiole Figure 5 is an enlarged front elevation of one of the legs of the stand showing more clearly the means for eonnecting the bracing members ft-hereto.

" :Figuie 6 is a Sidesectional elevation correfl ee s new a 'rnones PEACOCK, or Lennon, N LAND,

responding to Figure Tithe sieetion being tek e i th lee e fihetfisii e Fi r ie' rtnle tiew'i il ee porting table with the covering laterareggae."

i igi'ire :8 is a cross seetionalelevation on 7 the has" D41) offri g'args f2; artly-b nge? away. i

"Figures 9 and '10 are, elevational'views of thereon moved to show a loeking slide ffitt'd ..,be- H l :w' riperaw" 11129 .l

Figure 11 is a seetionalview on the line EE fof'Figure lease is a 'sii'nilafiiiew'to Figure but showing another form of table.

Figure 12 is 4 ur'e 11 1, while v l i Figure 13 is a plan showing the leaves ofthe table extendedl' i ug-are 14 is a plan of a leaf for and her term oitabnin'theqpened gsitibh. Figure is stress-section, on JX-.-X, Fi ure 114."

Inthe form of the invention, aloweiifolding tripod'eonsis'ting of three legs 1 "pivoted at their upper ends to a commonYconneeting member 2 forming the ride or this tripod, and having their lower enasptmman at 3," is providedto receive slidabljthestem 4 of a table or earrier for the' earners.-

a rl e'cer e pemlie to it- The table or barrier is eir eula r and is formed in two parts, one design'atedb'being similar to the connecting mempraapd the other designated '5 consisting of af'toy'er 'plate serving thetable brop'er; {and the stem consists of a comparatively longl 'rod preferably tubular; eoliiieeted to the een'tre of'the table and passing through'a'iholeb "formed in the centre of the common connecting member 2,for the legs 1'1off'the t pd mi r V In order to maintain the stemA steady and to enable it to, be retained in an adj uste'd position, the conneetangm mber 2" for the legs 1 of the tripod is providecliiifitha'guide tube 7 for the st'em said guide tube 7 which t v\ -l extends downwardly from the eonneetlngmember 2,11a't1i1g1ts lower'iend'split a's' 'at l8 and screw threaded to'rec elvea 'elamping Each leg 1 of the tripod-is formed with a longitudinal'groove 10in the interior-fate and withrec'e'sses 11, Figures, at theup er end: somewhat deeper than the grooves '10 so the 'legs -1 ean' be elosecl together about the stem 4 and its clamping nut 9, which are thereby neatly housed between the legs 1 in the folded position thereof.

Each leg 1 of the tripod is also provided with a longitudinal groove 12, the side walls of which are undercut as at 13, the connecting member 2 being cut away correspondingly. r

The table or carrier 5 for the camera, has pivoted thereto, in equally spaced relation the upper. ends of three bracing members 14, which engage at their lower ends in the groove 12 formed in the exterior faces of i he tripod.

These bracing members 14 are preferably rigid, so as to form with the table orsupport 5 a second folding or upper tripod arranged'on the first.

The bracing members 14 are provided at their lower ends with clamping devices 15 so that-after the table has been adjusted to thefrequired height the ends of the bracing members 14 can be clamped in the grooves 12 of the tripodlegs 1 in their adjusted posi tions. 1

Each clamping device 15, preferably comprises two superposed plates 16 and 17 (Figures 5 and 6) carried by the bracing member Y14, and arranged in the groove 12 with their side edges beneath the shoulders formed by the undercut 13, the upper plate 16 having flanges 18 which fit slidingly between the side faces of the groove 12 above the shoulders, and are adapted to carry between them a transverse pivot pin 19 for an operating lever 20.

The operating lever 20 is provided with one or more, preferably two, pressure transmitting plates 21 of substantially quadrant form, the pivot pin 19 passing freely through these plates. 7

A slot-22 is formed in the upper plate 16 and when the lever 20 is moved inwardly, the pressure transmitting plates 21 are adapted to bear on the face of the lower plate 17, exposed by the slot 22, thus forcing the plates 16 and 17 apart, and retaining them apart when the lever 20 passes over the dead centre.

The two plates 16 and 17 are then pressed tightly against the under face of the shoulder and the bottom face of the groove 12 respectively, thereby producing the desired clamping effect. 7

The lower plate 17 has guide pins 23 and 24 which pass loosely through guide apertures formed in the upper plate 16.

The form of table or carrier 5 shown in Figures 7 and 8, is provided with a central recess 25 to receive the head of thecamera screw 26 for securing the camera in position thereon, the stem 4 projecting into the central aperture to form an abutment on which the head of the camera screw 26 is adapted to rest. In order to facilitate this securing operation a slide 27 provided with a key hole slot 28 is fitted in the table (i. e., between the parts 5, 5, one of which is grooved diametrically to receive it) so as to pass therethrough, and the head of the screw 26 is provided with a narrow neck 29 for engagement within thestraight portion of the keyhole slot 28.

The camera screw 26 can thus first be screwed into the camera, the slide 27 pulled outwardly, until the enlarged part of the slot 28 coincides with the central aperture ofthe recess 25, and the camera can then be placed on the table with the head of the camera screw 26 entering the central aperture of the recess 25, and the slide 27 pushed inwardly so that the sides of the straight portion of the slot 28 engage with the neck 29 in the screw head.

c The engaging surfaces of the slide 27 and of the. head of the'camera screw 26 may bebevelled so as to produce a wedge action,

- thus pulling the camera down tightly on to the table as the slide 27 is pushed in.

In order to guard against loss of the camera screw 26, a wire springBO may be fitted in the recess 25 so that one end extends over the central aperture, to one side thereof for engagement in a circumferential I When the stand is folded or collapsed the bracing members 14 fit into the grooves 12- in the outer faces of the legs 1 of the tripod, flush with the outer surfaces thereof.

Preferably the legs 1 of the lower tripod are each tapered gradually from the upper end downwards and their outer faces, and the corresponding outer faces of the bracing members or legs 14 of the upper tripod are of curved formation laterally, so that in the collapsed or folded position, the stand presents eXteriorly the appearance of a tapered rod or pole of circular cross section.

A pointed cap 33 may be fitted by means of a'bayonet joint to the lower end of the stand inthe folded position, and a suitable head. 34 ornamented or not as desired may be removably secured on the upper end, so that the folded stand then presents exteriorly the appearance of a walking stick on a somewhat enlarged scale, as illustrated by F igure' 4.

A securing strap 35 may be fixed to one of the legs 1 of the tripod or to one'of the bracing members 14, so thatit can be passed about the stand in the .folded position and fastened forinstance by a loop at its end engaging over a stud which secures the strap in position. I i

In order to enable the head 34 to be locked in position on the folded stand, a cylinisprovided'witha T slot '37 and anar'r'ow horizontal slot 38 diametrieally eppesedi, and the slide'27inounted in the table 'o'rfe'arrie'r 5, 5', fo r "theeamera, is redueed in width a short distance infromthe outer end as at 39.

The widthof thevertical-portion of the T sl'et 37 is slightly greaterthan the width of the reduc'ed portion of the slide, and the width and-depth of the horizontal portion of the T =slot 37 andthe diametrically opjtiosed narrowslot 38,"are slightly greater than the width and depth of the non-reduced portion "ofthe'sli de.

In applying the head 34, the-slide 27' is first pulledoutwardly froin the tableto-i ts full extent toexp'o'se the reduced portion, and the head 34 is then fitted on the-table or carrier with the vertical side ofthe' T the width of this outer portion, allows the slide 27 to be pushed inwardly so that its opposite extremity projects beyond the table or carrier into the narrow horizontal slot 38 diametrically opposed to the T slot 37.

In order to provide for a more extensive and therefore steadier support for the cam era the cover-plate 5' of the table may be rovided with extensible leaves for example in the form shown in Figures 11 to 13 a plurality of leaves 40 are pivoted on rivets 41 to the cover-plate 5 which is cut away to receive them, leaving a central boss 42, the upper surfaces of the leaves are flush with the top of the central boss 42. The outer and inner edges of the leavesdO are of arcuate form corresponding to the edge of the plate 5 and to the boss 42 respectively, so that when the leaves 40 are in their closed position as indicated in Figures 11 and 12 they lie within the circumference of the cover-plate 5. The adjacent ends of the leaves are also of corresponding arouate form to allow the leaves to nest together as shown in Figure 11. A slight projection 43 is provided on each leaf 40 to act as a stop for engagement with the boss 42 when theleaves are extended to their full extent as indicated in Figure 13, ready to support a camera.

In the form shown in Figures 14 and 15 each leaf 40 is in the form of a rectangular plate fitted in a radial groove M in the cover-plate 5 so that it can be slidden radially to the centre of the cover-plate 5 into and out of. an extended position, the screw d5 entering a slot 46 in the leaf acting as a stop to limit the extension of the leaf.

It is to be understood that the invention is no't-limite'dto the particular Construction described, as this is given merely by way of'fexample.

I'e'laim: T

A camera standcomprising an upper tripod' having a table-and legs pivoted theret'o,"a lower tripodhaving a top with legs pivoted-thereto and provided WltlP-glOOYES toreceive the legs of the upper tripod, and clamps sliding in said grooves for'clamp ing thelower ends of theup'per tripod therein-when both tripods are distended, the

lie within the grooves in legs of the lower tripod and flush with theouter surfaoesoi' said grooved legs, when both tripods are folded forthe purpose of forming a walking stick, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

= 2. An adjustable folding camera stand,

comprising a ground engagingtripod havahead and legs pivotally connected thereto adapted for placementyin itClQSlIQCl pod.

3. An adjustable folding camera stand, comprising a ground engaging tripod, a camera carrying tripod adapted to have a camera attached thereto, adjustably mount-- legs of the upper tripod being adapted to p,

.positi'on'on the ground,-a camera carrying inounted having legs pivotally connected thereto, the ends of which are provided for adjustable connection with the legs of the ground engaging tripod, whereby the cam-.

eracarrying tripod is adapted for adjustment to change the position of the camera without resetting the ground engagingtripod, and means carried by the head of the camera carrying tripod cooperating with the head of the ground engaging tripod for holding the camera carrying tripod in a relative centered relation with the ground engaging tripod during adjustment of the former.

5. A camera stand, including a. camera supporting table formed with an annular recess opening through the major portion of the upper surface thereof, a plurality of arcuate leaves having one endp'ivotally connected to the table adapted for interfitting relation in folded position within the recess and formed with stops to limit the outward pivotal movement thereof, whereby the leaves may be moved out of the recess to the outer pivotal position for increasing the size of said table.

6. An adjustable folding camera stand, comprising a ground engaging tripod hav' ing a head with legs pivoted thereon adapted to be folded into interfitting relation to form a cylindrical stick, said legs being provided with grooves, and a camera carrying tripod having a head adapted for connection with a camera to support the same of substantially the same size as the head of the ground engaging tripod and legs pivoted thereto adapted to fit within the grooves of the legs of the ground engaging tripod, said camera carrying tripod beingmounted on and adjustable with respect to the other tripod for changing the position of the camera when the tripods are in extended relation, the head of said camera carrying tripod contacting with the head of the other tripod and the legs fitting Wholly within the grooves of the ground engaging tripod when said tripods are in folded relation.

7. A folding camera stand, including a camera carrying tripod adapted to be folded and having a camera supporting table, a cap for covering the table and upper end of the tripod in folded position, a locking member slidably mounted in the table for removably looking a camera to the table and for locking the ca on the tripod.

In testimony w ereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS PEACOCK. 

